Coin-controlled vending-machine



J. L. MEYFART'H.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I5, 1918- 1,345,499. t d u yfi, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEEI' l.

J. L. MEYFARTH.

com CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. 1918. 1,345,499. Patented ly 6, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

l l l W l IIIFTF u L" Jaw.

1. L. MEYFARTH.

COIN CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLE'n FEB. 15. 1918.

1,345,499. at nt d uly 6, 1920.

4 SHEEISSHEET 3.

g g i Q 5 l l r I l I l/ J. L. MEYFARTH.

com CONTROLLED VENDING MACHINE.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB.15,19I8. 1,345,499.

4 SHEETS-' -SHEET 4- Patented July 6, 1920.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

J'OHI! L. MEYFARTH, F CHICAGQ, ILLINOIS.

COIN-CONTROLLED VENDING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN-L. MEYFARTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and 'State of Illinois, have inventednew and useful Improvements in. Coin-Controlled Vending- Machines, of which the following isa full,

clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specification.

This invention relates to a coin controlled vending machine and more particularly to a U machine of this kind for vending food.

One of the objects of this invention resides in the production of a machine of this character which will attractively display without any possibility of handling, the food which is to be sold. The machine is adapted to display the food on plates, the plates being disposed in the machine in a manner which will permit of an attractive setting very readily observed-by the patron, and thereby arousinginterest and creating desire.

Another object resides in the production of an improved machine of this character in which the machine may be readily charged with the food commodities without in any manner interrupting the vending operation.

A further object consists in the production of animproved food conveying apparatus consisting ofstandardized units which may be utilized in batteries consisting of a plurality of'such units and which are thus adaptable for displaying a large variety of food or other commodities; Any unit of such a battery may be readily removed for repair or inspection without affecting any of the remaining units of the battery.

An additional object ,comprises the production of improved means whereby'foodis automatically delivered to the patron, said means being controlled by a force manually applied by the patron through the instrumentality of a coin of the proper denominamachine is charged.

tion, the said means being wholly or partly actuated by a gravitational force exercised by the weight of the food' with Which-the Another object consists in the production of improved means whereby the machine is automatically locked when a portion of food has been delivered to the patron and in look.

controlling means for the continued operation of the machine after the said locking Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed February 15, 1918. Serial No. 217.320.

means has been released until a portion of' food has been delivered and made accessible to the patron. I

Anotherobject comprises the production of a machine fitted with an automatically operated door through which the food or other commodities are delivered, the opera tion of said door being controlled by the conveying mechanism. proper: Other objects and features tion will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

of the inven- The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view" Fig. 5 is a section taken-on the plane rep I resented by the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged "llustration of the mechanism controlling the food conveying means, and

Fig. 7 is a front elevation vendingunits. Y Y Y As hereinafter more fully described,- a

complete apparatus consists of a plurality of a battery of of standard. units, each of which is fitted with a simple coin controlled mechanism, the individual units having an opening in the rear through which they are supplied by the- A, attendant, and a coin controlled dellvery opening in front for customers. Each food vending unit comprises a pair of endless chains mounted on suitable sprocket wheels.

These chains are divided into a plurality of sections of equal length, each of which carries a plate supporting structure, said structures'being so positioned on the chains that they will hold the plates carried thereby in a stable horizontal position.

I The chains are mounted with a given angle of inclination.v so that when a plate is placed. in position on the conveyer, it will move the chain forward under the influence of gravity, rotating the respective sprocket wheels associated therewith. If desirable a suitable power drive may obviously be associated with the conveying mechanism by means of a friction clutch, thereby insuring a uniform rate of travel thereof.

Substantially all of the upper portion of each chain conveyer on which the plates are supported is inclosed b a transparent, preferably glass, cover. his cover is fitted with a glass door adapted to be opened and closed, and through theopening occupied thereby the plates will pass from the glass inclosure to a position where they are accessible to the patron.

The sprocket wheels mounting the chains.- are designed so that a quarter rotation will move a plate next adjacent the door to a position outside of the said door and the said glass inclosure.

Cooperating with the rotating shafts which'carry the sprocket wheels are suitable cams, levers, etc., whereby the movement of the chains is controlled, and which are in turn controlled by a coin actuated mechanism. These operating devices of each unit function to insure the delivery of a plate of food from under said glass inclosure for each coin or plurality of coins deposited irrespective of the particular position on the conveying mechanism occupied by the said plate delivered.

As illustrated in the drawings, the vending units are mounted on a suitable counter, table or the like, 10. Each unit proper consists of a mounting or base plate 11 which may be readily slid on to the top of the counter 10 in suitable keyways cut into said counter, and in which the keys, such as 12, mounted on the bottom of the mounting plate 11, are suitably fitted.

Rising from the mounting plate 11 are a plurality of pairs of mounting standards shelves bein such as 13, 14, 15 and 16. The mounting standards 13 carry a shaft 20, on each end of which is rigidly secured a sprocket wheel 21 and in the center of which is rigidly secured the sprocket wheel 22. The shaft 20 is suitably journaled in' ball bearings 17 secured to the standards 13. The standard 16 carries a shaft 23, the said shaft being suitably journaled in ball bearings carried'by said standards. The said shaft has rigidly secured thereto on either end thereof a sprocket wheel such as 24, identical in all respects to the sprocket wheel secured to the shaft 20. An endless chain, such as 25, is carried by each pair of sprocket wheels 21 and 24. Secured between these endless chains are a plurality of transverse plate mounting members such as 26 and 27, each of which is equipped with forwardly extending shelves 28 and 29 respectively, said.

out out to form arcuate'd peripheral e ges in which the lower portion of a plate such as 30 will readily fit. The pair of standards 13 and 16 are so proportioned, and the sprocket wheels 21 and 24 so mounted thereon that the endless chains 25 are given an angle of inclination from the rear to the front of the-machine, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1; and thetransverse mounting members 26 and 27 mounted on said chains are so proportioned that the projecting shelves 28 and 29 thereof will hold the tion.

Mounted substantially midway between each pair of transverse mounting members, 26 and 27 on a transverse bar 31 is a rod 32 which is fitted with a spiral spring 33, maintaining the said rod 32 in a raised position so that the lower end thereof will be maintained substantially in the horizontal-plane of the chains 25. When a plate such as 30 is placed in position between any of the supporting members 26 and 27, it will rest on a disk 34 secured to the top of the rod and the weight of the plate will depress said rod so that the lower end thereof will proplates therein in a horizontal posiject below the horizontal plane of the lower surface of the chains 25 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. q

Supported above the major portion of the chains 25, and their associated mechanism,

on the pairs of standards 14' and 15, is a transparent cover 39 preferably constructed ofplate glass. clearly indicated in Fig. 7, is made in one piece for a plurality of units. the rear end ofthis plate glass cover are hinges such as 40 and 41, to which are secured individual glass doors such as 42,

This plate glass cover, as-

Secured to through which the attendant is enabled to place the plates of food on thesupports 26 and 27 of the chain conveying mechanism.

Inclosing the front part of sprocket wheels and the associated mechanism is a semi-circular plate 46, preferably constructed of sheet steel. This plate is secured to the base platell in any suitable manner. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 20 is a cam 47, which constitutes one of the elements used to control the movement of the chains 25. Coiiperating with the cam 47 is a bell crank '48 which is pivoted to anupwardly extending arm 49 integral with the standard 13. The bell crank 48 coeperates with the ing end of the rod 51 and the upper portion of the coin chute. The coins are held in this position by the compressive force exercised by the spiral spring v53. Cooperating with the coin chute 50 is a second coin chute 55 fitted with a flaring end 56 at its top portion,

which end cooperates with thelower end of the coin chute 50. Integral with this second chute which may be extended to a suitable centralized bank. Projecting into this main coin chute is a projecting finger 63 of any suitable counting mechanism such as 64 diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1. The coin chute 55 is fitted with an opening 65 in which fits one arm 66 of the bell crank 48. The other arm of the bell crank 48 is fitted with a notched end 67 which rides on the periphery of the cam 47 and prevents rotation .thereof whenever the notch 67 rides into one of the indentations 68 in said cam.

When a coin of the proper denomination is forced into the coin chute 50, it will 'force one of the three coins contained therein into the second coin chute 55 and into a position in front of the'plunger 57. When the plunger 57 is pressed forward the coin will move therewith and in this operation it will be deflected into the downwardly extending portion 70 of the coin chute from which it will readily find its .way into the main coin chute and into the centralized bank. As

this coin is pressed forward into the coin chute 70, it will ride against the arm 66 of the bell crank which will turn about its pivot and thereby extract the projecting finger 67 out of a notch or indentation 68 in the cam 47. This will release the conveying mechanism and the shafts will be freeto turn and carry with them the chains and the associated food conveying mechanism It will be evident from the precedin description referring to the angle ofinc ination which is given to the chains and the mounting means supplied on said chains on which the plates are carried, that when a plate of food or a plurality of plates are mounted on this supporting means that the chain will begin to travel due to the gravitational force exercised by the weight of the plates-and food. In order that the chains and the associated mechanism may begin to travel for the very slightest amount of-unbalance, the shafts which support the sprocket wheels are mounted in ball bearings and all the moving elements are mounted in such a manner that friction will be reduced to an absolute minimum. Obviously if a more direct drive is desired a constantly operating motor may be connected to one of the standards 14. .Secured to this shaft 73 is a cam 74. Cooperating with the cam 74 is a lever 75 pivoted at 76', which carries a projecting roller 77, that rides on the periphery of the cam 74. The lever 75 carries at its rear end a weight 78 which is adjustably mounted on the rearwardly extending arm of said lever. The forwardly extending portion of said lever is bifurcated and terminates in the arms 80 and 81 as illustrated in Fig. 3. These arms 80 and-81 constitute hollow sleeves in which the rods 82 and 83 are telescoped. Secured to the forwardly. extending ends of the rods 82 and 83 is the lower slat of a roll top glass door 84, which coiiperates with the plate glass cover 39 to completely inclose the plates of food so as to prevent access thereto by the patron. The glass door 84 is constructed of a plurality of slats bound together by any suit: able flexible binder as indicated at 85 and 86 in'Fig. 3. Obviously, the door 84 may be constructed of any suitable type of trans- 7 parent material through which the patron may readily observe the food placed on the conveying mechanism.

The lever 75 1s normally maintained in the horizontal position shown in Fig. l and in broken lines in Fig. 6, at which. time ,door 84 and consequently when the cam 74 ,1s turned, the roller in riding down the periphery' of the camwill raise the glass door 84 WhlCh will ride in suitable guiding slots 90 and 91 provided therefor. The cam is so constructed that as the roller 77 begins to ride down the periphery thereof, it will first strike a sudden drop which will completely open the door. The roller will then ride over a dwell in said cam which will maintain the door open for a specified eriod during which the plate vwill ride trough the door opening. After the plate has passed through the opening, the roller will ride over the remaining half portion of the cam periphery, during which period the door will be slowly closed.

The main sprocket wheels 24 and 21 are so designed that the chains 25 will move through the distance occupied by four plates for one complete rotation thereof, and as the sprocket wheel 22 bears a two to one relation to the sprocket wheel 72, the cam 74 will make two complete rotations for every complete rotation of the sprocket wheel 21. Due to this proportioning of the sprocket wheels 21. 22 and 72 and the cam 74, the door 84 will be opened and closed each time the chain 25 moves a distance equal to that occupied by one plate.

In order to provide means whereby a patron will positively obtain a plate of food, provided a plate has been placed upon any of the plate supports26 and 27 means must .be provided to prevent the locking of the conveying mechanism for each uarter turn 21 and 24 to make a three-quarter turn so thatsaid plate would pass outside of the door 84jand be accessible to the patron. To

provide for such an emergency, means have been provided whereby the bell crank 48 is locked so that it will not return to the peotally .riphery of the cam 47 until a plate has actually 'passed through the door opening. This means comprises-a curved book 94 pivoted at 95 to an upwardly extending arm of the mounting standard 13 and pivotally secured at 96 to a' connecting link 97. The connecting link 97 is pivotally secured at 98 to an intermediate link 99 which in turn is pivsecured at 100 to a rearwardly extending rod 101. The rod 101 carries an upwardly and laterally projecting lever 102,

see Figs. 3 and 6, pivotally secured at 103 to a laterally extending projection of the upwardly extending arm of the mounting standard 13. The lever-102 is so mounted that one end thereof projects into the line of travel of the yieldingly mounted rods 32 disposed beneath-the bars 31. The rods 32 as they are carried around by the conveyin chains 25 will-ride in a uiding slot 105, an

as they'ride through this slot they will contact with the projecting end of the lever 102. As these pins ride against this lever, they will turn it about its pivot 103 as indicatedin broken lines in Flg. 3. This turning of the lever will through the agency of the rod 101 turn link 99 about-its pivot 106 and this in turn will force the inter-connectin'g link 97 forward, carrying with it one .end of the curved hookwhich will conse- Consequently as each rod 32 rides throughthe guidin slot 105, it will through the agency of t e mechanism just described disp ace the hook 94. The hook 94 is so placed, with respect to the arm of the bell crank 48 which rldes on the cam'.47, that when said bell crank is displaced through the agency of a coin the projecting fin er 67 thereof will be caught by the hoo 94. Consequently whenever the bell crank 48 is displaced by the depression of the plunger through the agenc of a coin, the bell crank 48 willbe withhe d from the periphery of the cam 68 by means of the hook 94. When the bell crank is thus held, it will be evident that the chains 25 and their associated mechanism will be free to travel, as long as the .4 unit is unbalanced, by the weight of a single plate placed on one of said plate mounting structures, or by a suitable frictionally ap plied power drive hereinbefore referred to. However, when a plate rides through the door opening of the transparent inclosure, the projecting rod 32, mounted on the crosspiece 31'below said plate, will pass through the guiding'slot' 105. This will trip the lever. 102 and unlatch the bell crank from the hook 94. The bell crank will therefore be returned to the periphery of the cam 47 through the agency of the spiral spring 110.

Very briefly the operation of one of these conveying units may be outlined as follows The attendant in the rear of'the counter 10 will place plates. of food such as '30 on the plate supports mountedon the chains 25. From the position behind the machine the attendant is able to satisfactorily mount three plates on the chain conveying mechanism. In this position a patron in the front of the machine will be able to readily in-' ,spect the front plate. If the patron desires the food as displayed on said plate, he will deposit a coin of the required denomination in the coin chute 50. This coin will find its way into the second coin chute 55 in front of the plunger which the patron will next operate-by depressing the plunger disk-59. In depressing the plunger disk the coin will be deflected into the main coin channel and carried to the centralized bank and at the same time the bell crank 48 will be turned about its pivot. In this operation the cam riding arm of the bell crank will be engaged 110 or caught by the retaining hook-94. As soon as the bell crank is displaced, the shafts mounting the sprocket wheels 21 and 24 are free to turn and the chains will move forward carrying with them-the plates mounted thereon. he rotation of the shaft 22 as hereinbefore described, will rotate the cam 7 4 through the agency of the chain 71. This will rapidly raise the door 84 and then slowly close-it during the period that the sprocket wheels 21 -and 24" are making a uarter turn.

Due to the fact that the attendant can place'but three plates of food on the chain from the rear and as the glass cover 39 will 125. inclose and cover five plates, it will be necessary for the sprocket wheel 21 to turn through three-quarters of a revolution for a plate of food to pass through the door 84 and be accessible to the patron. However,

since the cam operating arm of the bell crank 48 has been engaged by the hook 94, and inasmuch as the rods 32 associated with the first two plate mounting structures under the glass cover are not depressed, the chains 25 will continue to move until the sprocket wheels 21 and 24 have made threequarters of a turn. ,As the sprocket wheel is moving through its third quarter, the third rod 32 will pass through the door opening and since a plate is mounted on the plate mounting structure occupying this particular section of the chain, the lever 102 will be tripped by said rod 32 and the bell crank 48 will be allowed. to return to normal and stop the machine. a

After this first operation of the machine,

the attendant will be able to maintain the five plate positions under the glass cover completely filled since the three plates first placed in position have now moved forward and it will only be necessary to fill up the three rear positions on the chain conveyer to completely charge the unit.

In order that the patrons may not be able to observe what is going on at the rear of a battery of these units, it is found advisable to construct a wall such as 111 which extends up from the cover plate 39. Obviously this wall may be located anywhere in the cover plate 39 but it is preferred to so place this wall that the first three plates on the conveyer may be readily observed by the purchaser as indicated in Figs. 1 and 7.

As will be evident from the precedmg description, a complete apparatus comprises a v series of units which ma be assembled as shown in Fig. 7 so as to give the appearance of a single machine, and in which any unit may be withdrawn from under the cover 39 and replaced by another similar unit without affecting in any manner whatsoever the remaining units of the battery. Any of these units may be withdrawn because the transparent cover 39 is adapted to cover a plurality of the pairs of standards 14- and 15 of the several units. Consequently, when one or more of said units and the associated standards 14 and 15 are withdrawn from the battery, the glass cover 39 will be supported by the: pairs of standards 14.- and 15 vof the unlts remaining in the battery.- are thus assembled the food'or other commodities will be attractively displayed and each unit will function to 'positivelymake a delivery provided the attendant keeps a sinsuch units and is supported by When the units to unlocksaid mechanism whereby said conveying means will be permitted to travel varying distances to deliver one plate of food.

combination, a flexible food conveying means angularly disposed,a transparent glass cover for said food conveying means which will display said food and prevent access thereto, a transparent door associated with vent imovement of said conveyin mechanism, and a coin operated mechamsm actuated to unlock said mechanism, open and close saiddoor and automatically deliver a portion of food outside of said cover and through said dooropening to make it readily accessibleto the patron.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a food conveying means, mounting means carried thereby adapted to stably carry a plurality of plates of food, a transparent cover inclosing said food which prevents access thereto, a coin actuated means operable by a patron to move said conveying means a distance sufiicient to dcliver a-plate of food resting thereon from under said cover, and means whereby an attendant may place plates of food on said conveying means durin the period that it is being operated to eliver food to the patrons.

4:. In a device of the character described,

2. In a machine of the class described, in I said glass cover, a locking mechanism to precomprisingin combinationa food conveying means consisting'of a flexible carrier, mounting devices carried by'said conveying means adapted to support a plurality of plates, and coin-operated operatin mechanism which is actuated by the gravitational force exerted by the plates of food placed on said conve ing means.

5. n a device of the character described, in combination, a .food conveying means, mountin means carried b said conveying means a pted to carry a pl uralit of plates,

a transparent cover inclosing sai plates, an

operating mechanism for said conveying means, means-normally locking said operating means,- a :coin actuated means operated to release said locking means, and means whereby said operating means will remain unlocked, thereby permitting the conveyin means to travel varying distances and unti a plate of food has been delivered from uner said cover.-, I 6. In a food vending apparatus, in combination, a plurality of unitary food dispensing sections, a food conveying means individual to each section, a transparent,

cover serving as an inclosing means for a plurality of sa1d sections and which prevents access to said food, a transparent door 1nd1- vidu'al to each section and cooperating with said cover to prevent access to said food, and. means whereby any of said sections may be readily withdrawn and replaced by other sections during the continued operation of the remaining sections.

7. In a device of the character described, comprising in combination a conveying :means, a plurality of plate carrying structures mounted on said means, a transparent cover supported above said plates which prevents access thereto, a transparent door associated with said cover, an operating mechanism for said conveying means, means for locking said operating means, a coin actuated mechanism for releasing said locking means, and a mechanism associated with said conveying means operable to open said door and permit the delivery of a plate from under said cover by said conveying means .when said locking means is released by the coin controlled mechanism.

8. A device of the character described comprising in combination a conveying means, a plurality of plate carrying structuresmounted 'on said means, a transparent cover supported above said plates which prevents access thereto, a transparent door associated with said cover, a plurality. of yielding members carried by said conveying means which are depressed when a plate is placed in position on said carrying structures, an operating mechanism for said conveying means, means for locking said operating means, a coin actuated mechanism for releasing said locking means, a mechanism associatedwith said conveying means operable to open said door and permit the delivery of a plate from under said cover by said conveying means, and means actuated to make said locking means inefl'ec tive until the plate has been delivered through said door by said conveying means,

which last said means is released by one of opening and closing of said door to permit.

the delivery of a plate therethrough.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination, a flexible carrier divided into a plurality of sections, a plurality of plate carrying structures, one mounted on said carrier in each of said sections, a transparent cover supported above said plate carrying structures which prevents access to the plates carried thereon, a transparent door associated with said cover, coinoperated means actuated to move said carrier 9. distance of one section and which controls the opening and closing of said door to permit the delivery of a plate therethrough, and means operated to move said carrier through the distance of a plurality of sections and until a plate is delivered, said door opening and closing a plurality of times equal to the number of sections through which said carrier is moved.

11. In a device of the characterdescribed;

in combination, a flexible carrier divided into a plurality of sections, a. plurality of plate carrying structures, one mounted on said carrier in each of said sections, a transparent cover supported above said plate carrying structures which prevents access to the plates carried thereon, a transparent door associated with said cover, coin operated means actuated to move said carrier a distance of one section and which controls the opening and closing of said door to permit-the delivery of a plate therethrough, and means operated to'completely open the saiddoor immediately after said carrier begins to move and retain said door in this position while said carrier is moving through substantially half the length of one section, and very slowly closing the door during the period that the said carrieris movin through the remaining half length of said section. 12. A device of the character described, comprising in combination a flexible carrier divided into a plurality of sections, .a plurality of plate carrying structures, one mounted on said carrier in each of said sec tions, a transparent cover supported above said plate carrying structures which pre' vents access to the plates carried thereon, a transparent door associated with said cover,

coin operated means actuated to move said automatically operated by said conveying means to open and close said door to permit the passage of an article from under said cover through said door opening.

14. An article vending machine compris actuating said conveying means, and a mechanism operable to slide said door under said cover to permit the delivery of an article by said conveying means from un-' der said cover, and which returns said door to closed position after the article-has been thus delivered.

15. In a device of the character described, in combination, a flexible conveying means, mounting structures on said conveying means for stably. carrying plates of food, a plurality of rotatable members supporting said conveying means, a transparent cover supported over said conveying means which prevents access. to the food carried thereby, a transparent door associated with said cover, an operating means actuated to open and close said door, driving means interconnecting said operating means and said rotatable members, a locking meansfor said rotatable members, and a. coin actuated lever operated to release said locking mechanism whereby the weight of said plates on said conveying means will advancethe same and open and close said door until a plate of ood has been carried from under said cover and through said door opening.

16. A food conveying unitvcomprising in combination, a conveying means divided into sections, a plate supporting means individual to each section, a transparent cover for said conveying means, a door associated with said cover, means operated to move said conveying means, a lever operated'to open and close said door, automatically controlled by said conveying means, and a coin operated means actuated to move said con-,

veying means a distance equal to the'length of one section and which controls the opening and closing of said door.

17. A coin operated food vending machine comprising in combination, a conveying means divided into sections, a plate supporting means individual to each section, a transparent cover for said conveying means, a door associated with said cover, means whereby platesof food may be placed on said supporting means from therear end of said conveying means, a locking device for said conveying means, a mechanism oper- 'ated to unlock said conveying means whereby the said plates placed on said supports will move said conveying means and open and close said door for each sectional length traveled by said conveying means and until a plate of food is delivered through said open door. 1

18. In a food vending unit in combination a conveying means divided into sections, a plate supporting means individual to each section, a transparent cover for said conveying means, a door associated with said cover, a mechanism operated to lock said conveying means, coin actuated means operated to unlock said conveying means whereupon it will travel toward the front end of said unit if a plate rests on but one of said supporting means, means whereby said conveying means will continue to move until said plate has passed throu h said door opening and from under sai cover, and a tripping device operated thereafter which is actuated to re-lock said conveying means.

19. In a vending machine, an inclosure having a delivery opening and. a replenishing opening, a door for each said opening, article-conveying means, means .to lock the door of said delivery opening, and coin-operated means actuated to operate said conveying means to deliver an article from under said inclosure on said conveying means and which automatically opens and closes the delivery door.

20. Ina vending machine, an inclosure open at opposite ends to provide delivery and replenishing openings, a door for said delivery opening, means-to lock the door of said delivery opening, a coin actuated article conveying means, and means cooperating with said conveying means to open and close said door to permit the delivery of an article on said conveying means and through said door opening from within said be placed on said conveying means while others are being delivere 22-. In a vending machine, an inclosure open at opposite ends to provide delivery and replenlshing openings, a transparent door for said delivery opening, means to lock the "door of said delivery opening, a coin actuated article conveying means visible through the transparent top of said inclosure, and means to operate said conveying means to automatically open and close said delivery door and deliver an article on said conveying means through said door opening.

Inwitness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHNQL. MEYFARTH. 

